Gleanings From The Past #2

A Peculiar Anagram

The following anagram, on the well-known bibliographer, William Oldys, may claim a place among the first productions of this class. It was by Oldys himself, and was found by his executors in one of his MSS.

w. o.

In word and WILL I AM a friend to you;
And one friend OLD IS worth an hundred new.

– The Babbler, Vol. 1, 1822

An Age-Old Tradition

The keen eye of W. B. Ransom (Tufts College) discovered in the public press a tale of a calculating machine company that “offered $1000 to anyone who could square a circle, double a cube, or trisect one angle of a triangle by using only a straight-edge and compass.” A fellow in Mathematics sues the company, claiming that he has squared the circle. The judge rules that he hasn’t done it. Well, well, well! Here we go again! This seems just like old times. We could give one word of advice to the company, and that is to specify that the straight-edge shall be unmarked. Also let the angle to be trisected be an arbitrary angle. Then the company may rest comfortably in the knowledge that it has been proved that no one of the three constructions can be done. And how we wish that would become generally known.

– Mathematics Magazine, Vol. 22, No. 1, 1948

Determination

Someday I shall succeed, I really believe; but it is a weary game. After just a year of pegging a way. Behold!

Like this:

Related

My name Edmark M. Law. I work as a freelance writer, mainly writing about science and mathematics. I am an ardent hobbyist. I like to read, solve puzzles, play chess, make origami and play basketball. In addition, I dabble in magic, particularly card magic and other sleight-of-hand type magic. I live in Hong Kong.
You can find me on Twitter` and Facebook. My email is edmarklaw@learnfunfacts.com

Let’s Get Connected

Feedspot’s Top 30 Fact Blog

Follow me on Twitter

Archives

Archives

About

Learn Fun Facts is an archive of curious facts for the curious. I write on a variety of subjects, including mathematics, science, technology, language, history, literature, art and anything in between.